1. Field of the Invention
The subject matter disclosed generally relates to the field of robotics.
2. Background Information
Robots have been used in a variety of applications ranging from remote control of hazardous material to assisting in the performance of surgery. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,458 issued to Wang et al. discloses a system that allows a surgeon to perform minimally invasive medical procedures through the use of robotically controlled instruments. One of the robotic arms in the Wang system moves an endoscope that has a camera. The camera allows a surgeon to view a surgical area of a patient.
There has been marketed a mobile tele-presence robot introduced by InTouch Technologies, Inc., the assignee of this application, under the trademark RP-7. The InTouch robot is controlled by a user at a remote station. The remote station may be a personal computer with a joystick that allows the user to remotely control the movement of the robot. Both the robot and remote station have cameras, monitors, speakers and microphones to allow for two-way video/audio communication. The robot camera provides video images to a screen at the remote station so that the user can view the robot's surroundings and move the robot accordingly.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,158,860 issued to Wang et al. and assigned to the owner of the present application, InTouch Technologies, Inc. discloses a tele-presence robot system that includes a primary remote control station and one or more secondary control stations that are all linked to a tele-presence robot. The system allows the secondary stations to observe the video/audio feed provided by the robot. This allows the users of the secondary station to be trained through the robot and primary station. It would be desirable to modify such a system to implement more features such as the ability for two-way communication between stations, or the transfer of robot control to one of the secondary stations.